Sorry to hit you with a brick of reality dude. We have not owned any software we purchase, ever. We own a license to access said software (IP) which can be revoked at any time by the IP holder.
In context. The statement was not to insult you, but to tell you that you're not alone. A lot of people wake up after their 20s are spent and say, "What the fuck have I been doing the last 10 years?"
I have had your very reaction somewhere around 34, and since drastically dialed back my hype on games, because they are basically assembly line - cookie cutter - copy pasta of the same old shit being spewed out year after year.
To add to your point. I ask you to name 10 AA / AAA games in the last decade that were truly unique, standing on their own, new IPs, sharing NO similarities in the complete package to any other game before it. See below for rules on comparison
Case in point, that is another thing I had to realize. If I need to name more than two games to describe something, new on the market, then I am trying too hard to shit on it in an attempt to validate my hate for it.
I know we never 'literally' owned the software. What we DID own was a copy of it on printed media.
That was something the companies couldn't ever take away. Sure we have no right to actually disassemble the software, plagiarize, etc etc sure, all that's a given. We cannot use the art/sound assets in a way ourside of Fair Use... All that I get.
But, the cartridge/disc was mine. I own that. If the company sent reps to try and take that from me, I am legally entitled to tell them to go fuck themselves at gunpoint If necessary.
That is what we've largely lost in the push to go all-digital. For the sake of convenience, what have we given up?
Also name 10 actual legit ORIGINAL IP's? That's hard.... I can only think of 3 maybe 4 offhand...
-Demon's Souls (sequels notwithstanding it was original at the time)
-Catherine
-NieR
-Death Stranding
....Yeah that's about it offhand. I'd seriously have to dig to go any further and that in itself is sad. Compared to the PS1/PS2 generation, creativity is truly dead. Everything is literally 'remake, remaster, resequel' coz its the 'safe' option.
Its why despite its flaws, I will always say good things about Death Stranding. For all its flaws, it is a TRULY ORIGINAL IP... and you can't say its 'like X'... No, things like it that come after will be 'like Death Stranding'. For all the game's flaws (and there are MANY flaws), it at least is a true rarity in this day and age in being an actual original creation.